USC's Woods leaving early for the NFL

EL PASO, Texas – Robert Woods' USC career, which started with such promise, ended with a whimper.

Woods announced after Monday's Sun Bowl that he will make himself eligible for this year's NFL draft. Woods said his draft evaluation projected him as a second-round pick in April.

"It was pretty hard,'' Woods said of his choice. "I had to weigh the options but I felt like this was the best decision for me.''

USC's best cornerback Nickell Robey, who is also considering an early jump to the NFL, said he would make his decision by Thursday. Robey is not projected to go in the first three rounds.

"I'm just going to evaluate next year's predictions,'' Robey said, "of what I feel like is going to happen with me personally, and just see what we're going to do next year as far as USC.''

As expected, running back Silas Redd announced that he would return to USC for his senior season.

Woods, who thanked Coach Lane Kiffin and Athletic Director Pat Haden as part of his statement, leaves USC after a complicated three-year career. After a solid freshman season, Woods had a brilliant 2011. An All-America selection, Woods set a Pac-12 Conference record with 111 catches for 1,292 yards and 16 touchdowns.

As a junior, though, Woods was in the shadow of teammate Marqise Lee, who won the Biletnikoff Trophy as the top college receiver. With three catches for 33 yards in the Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech, Woods finished his season with 76 catches for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Woods never complained about his drop in production, even as quarterback Matt Barkley went on a national radio show and opined that USC's play-calling this season might have over-emphasized Lee to the detriment of the Trojans' overall offense.

"With my experience at USC and the coaching, I feel like it prepared me enough,'' Woods said. "I feel like it put me in a great situation to just go ahead and leave.''

Lee, by necessity, will now become a huge part of USC's offense in 2013. USC will also return Nelson Agholor, George Farmer, De'Von Flournoy and Victor Blackwell, and also have commitments from high school receivers Sebastian LaRue and Steven Mitchell.

Monte Kiffin coached his final game at USC. Kiffin, the assistant head coach, defensive architect and father of the head coach, announced weeks ago that he would resign after the Sun Bowl.

Monte Kiffin will seek opportunities to coach in the NFL, where he spent 26 years.

"You don't like to end it like this,'' Monte Kiffin said. "I've only been here three years, but I don't give a hoot. I'll be a Trojan for life. Once you're here, it's embedded in you.''

Asked if he would miss coaching with his son, Kiffin paused and said,"Um, no, not really,'' then offered a hearty laugh. Monte Kiffin said his coaching tenure with his son had always been "very professional.''

GOOD TO GO

Lee started and played the full game, two days after he hurt his knee in practice. Lee had six catches for 41 yards, his second-lowest yardage total of the season (he had 32 against Washington).

"I knew I was going to play regardless, no matter what the coaches said, to tell you the truth,'' Lee said.

Running back Curtis McNeal, who missed practice on Friday and Saturday, also played but saw limited action. McNeal had three carries for 5 yards.